2-Day Alpine Course Learn essential snow craft skills such as safe travel, crampons, ice axes, self-arrest, and trip planning. / Public Courses / Alpine Courses / 2-Day Alpine Course Overview Join us for an introductory snow craft course designed for those who wish to explore the mountains safely. Over the weekend, you’ll learn essential skills such as using crampons and ice axes, self-arrest techniques, and trip planning. On Day 1, you’ll acquire these skills, and on Day 2, you’ll have the opportunity to refine them by attempting a summit. **This is our most popular weekend alpine training course, and prior experience is not necessary.** Course Details Course Location This course takes place in the Craigieburn Range, near Castle Hill village. It begins in Darfield, which is about 30 minutes from Christchurch, at 7:30 AM. We will access the snow at either Broken River or the Mt Cheeseman ski field and will drive to our lodge in Arthurs Pass at the end of the first day. The specific location for the second day will be determined by the group and your instructor during the trip planning session, and it may vary based on local weather and snow conditions. The course concludes at 4 PM in either Arthurs Pass or Castle Hill village, which is approximately 1.5 to 2 hours from Christchurch airport. Accommodation 1 night’s accommodation in Arthur’s Pass Village is included in this alpine course Arthur’s Pass Lodge This course is based at our lodge in Arthur’s Pass Village. The lodge features bunk beds arranged into bedrooms, accommodating up to 20 people. It includes a fully equipped kitchen stocked with utensils, cookware, a refrigerator, and ovens. You will also have access to electricity, bathroom facilities and hot showers. Please remember to bring your sleeping bag and pillow. Food Food is not provided for this course. We recommend that you pack plenty of snacks and lunches that do not require cooking. You are welcome to use the full kitchen and fridge available at the lodge. Please keep in mind that the store and pub in Arthur’s Pass Village can be unreliable during winter. It’s important to come prepared to self-cater for the entire duration of the course. Free Transport from Christchurch We offer courtesy pick-up service from various locations around Christchurch, including hotel pick-ups in town and near the airport. Please check our FAQs for a complete list of hotel pickup locations. We recommend arriving in Christchurch the day before your course. At the end of the course, we are happy to take you back to your accommodation or directly to the airport. Please note that the earliest we can drop you off at the airport is at 6 PM. Meeting locations (catch a ride with us): If you are bringing your car and want a lift, please meet us at one of the following locations: Yaldhurst McDonald’s 7:00 am (see on Google Maps) *Darfield Bakery 7:30 am (see on Google Maps) Castle Hill Village 8:30 am (see on Google Maps) *Our preferred meeting location is Darfield Bakery. OENZ Vans Gear & Equipment You do not need to have your mountaineering gear for this course, as we provide all the necessary specialised equipment for you to borrow. However, if you do own gear, we encourage you to bring it along, as it is beneficial to train with the equipment you will use in the mountains. Please note: waterproof boots are required for this course. We do not have boots available to hire or borrow. See the Alpine book guide below for more info. Gear List Alpine Boot Guide Is this the right alpine course for me? OENZ Alpine Training Pathway OENZ Alpine Courses Flow Chart Download Flow Chart Course Outline This alpine and avalanche training course spans four days and equips you with essential skills for safe and effective travel in alpine environments, covering basic mountaineering techniques and avalanche safety. Day 1: Learn foundation skills Crampons Flat foot technique Front-pointing Mixed technique Down climbing Ice axe Holding an ice axe Self-belay/plunge Self-arresting Two-axe climbing techniques Steep cutting Day 2: Consolidation day Today, our goal is to consolidate our new skills and attempt to climb to a high point in the Craigieburn range or Arthur’s Pass National Park. Please note the word “attempt,” as the mountains will ultimately determine our success in reaching our goal. The focus of this course is passing on skills and knowledge so you can enjoy the mountains safely in your own time. Download Course Outline Meet Some of Our Alpine Instructors Alan Haslip Sarah English Joel Buckley Michael Pickner Frequently Asked Questions Do I need prior experience to attend this course? No, you do not need any prior alpine experience to enroll in the OENZ 2-Day Alpine Course. This introductory Outdoor Education New Zealand course is specifically designed to teach you all the essential knowledge and skills needed to safely succeed in the mountains, ensuring you build a solid foundation of mountaineering techniques from scratch How many people will be on my course? There is a maximum of 8 participants per instructor on the OENZ 2-Day Alpine Course. Outdoor Education New Zealand maintains this strict 8:1 client-to-instructor ratio because we believe small group sizes provide the safest and most effective environment for learning mountaineering skills. What gear do I need to attend an OENZ alpine course? For an OENZ alpine course, participants must bring their own personal clothing, waterproof layers, and mountaineering boots. Outdoor Education New Zealand will provide all remaining technical alpine equipment required for the training. You can view the complete requirements on our official Alpine Course Gear List and Alpine Boot Guide. Gear list Alpine boot guide Do I need to provide my own avalanche gear for the course? No, you do not need to provide your own avalanche gear for the OENZ 2-Day Alpine Course. Outdoor Education New Zealand provides all essential avalanche safety equipment free of charge for the duration of the training. However, participants are welcome to bring and practice with their own personal avalanche safety gear if they prefer. What type of boots do I need? For the OENZ 2-Day Alpine Course, participants must wear high-quality, waterproof mountaineering boots with rigid ankle support. Standard trail running shoes are not safe or appropriate for alpine use. For specific footwear recommendations and minimum requirements, please download the official Outdoor Education New Zealand Alpine Boot Guide. Can I hire boots for my alpine course? No, Outdoor Education New Zealand (OENZ) does not have boots available to hire or borrow for the 2-Day Alpine Course. However, participants can hire boots from several outdoor equipment stores in Auckland and Dunedin prior to arriving. If you are hiring or borrowing footwear, please ensure you get waterproof leather mountaineering boots. Plastic mountaineering boots are not suitable for general mountaineering in New Zealand. Does this mountaineering course have minimum numbers? Yes, the OENZ 2-Day Alpine Course requires a minimum of four participants to proceed at the advertised group price. However, Outdoor Education New Zealand will not cancel your training if the minimum numbers are not met. Instead, we guarantee your booking by offering three flexible options: Convert to a shorter private course: One-on-one tuition allows us to cover the mountaineering curriculum much faster, requiring fewer days. Keep the original dates: Continue with the planned multi-day course by covering the additional private instruction cost. Transfer your booking: Move your registration to a future date when the alpine course has confirmed minimum numbers. What is the minimum age for this alpine course? The standard minimum age for the OENZ 2-Day Alpine Course is 18 years old. However, 16- and 17-year-olds may attend if accompanied by a participating adult. For younger participants, Outdoor Education New Zealand runs a specialised Family-Friendly Alpine Course with a lower minimum age requirement. Do you have any alpine courses suitable for younger people? Yes, Outdoor Education New Zealand (OENZ) offers several alpine courses specifically designed for younger participants and families. You can explore these options, including their specific minimum age requirements, directly on our Family-Friendly Courses page. 2-day alpine course photos 2-day alpine course Practising crampon skills Summit of Mt Cassidy, Arthur's Pass Temple Basin Lodge Mt Rolleston, Arthur's Pass National Park Arthur's Pass National Park Allan's Basin, Craigieburn Range 2 day Alpine course On top of Craigieburn Range Hamilton Peak summit Practicing the plunge technique Approaching Mt Cheeseman Customer Reviews “Having calm, relaxed and knowledgeable instructors. The instructor was excellent, supportive and freely shared his knowledge without overwhelming us.” Rob, New Zealand “Thank you to our instructor for your patience, understanding and encouragement. I feel more confident to increase my alpine skills.” Julie, New Zealand “The course had a great atmosphere, I felt safe to challenge myself. We covered heaps of skills with time time to get out and try them out!” Leeanne, Auckland, NZ “Thanks guys, I really enjoyed the course and your patient & knowledgeable instructors.” Miles, Christchurch, NZ “Really interesting learning about the weather and snow hazards and I loved doing the self-arrests.” Emily, New Zealand “I learned so much over the weekend. Even though the weather was not in our favour the guides went above and beyond making sure the course goes smooth. They were very attentive replying emails prior to joining. The coach Nate was totally great. He delivered heaps of knowledge both practical and theoretical. He took care of us very well, we learned about safety, weather assessment, walking techniques, use of tools, use of ice axe, planning, self arresting, etc, etc. I am very happy and satisfied to have joined. I left learning valuable knowledge for alpine mountaineering from top experienced climbers.” Carlos Luque “Was fantastic fun, felt super safe at all times. Learned and gained so much from the course. Can’t wait to put some of our new skills and confidence into practice!” James Thornton “Just did the 2-day alpine course led by Alan. Great 2 days, covered all the essential skills on the first day and put them in to practice on the second. Would definitely recommend to anyone thinking about spending more time in the alpine environment or just wanting to try something different one weekend. Alan was a good, knowledgeable instructor who also provided cheese. Excellent.” Alex Geddes “Sarah is an incredibly knowledgeable outdoors instructor and excellent at imparting that knowledge in a safe, engaging and approachable manner. I would thoroughly reccomend completing the intro to mountaineering to get you started in the mountains. “ George, New Zealand Got a question about this alpine course? Contact our team today. Contact Us
